Sweden raises estimate of fighters in Syria to 75

Sweden's security police, SAPO, says at least 75 people have left the country to fight in Syria since mid-2012, more than doubling an estimate from earlier this year.

The figures presented Monday underscore a trend seen across Europe of fighters joining al-Qaida-linked groups in Syria.

SAPO's chief counterterrorism analyst, Jonathan Peste, said those who travel from Sweden are mainly men aged between 18 and 30. Many are new recruits, who haven't been involved with militant Islamist groups before.

In April SAPO said it believed around 30 fighters had left Sweden for Syria.

Peste said the focus on Syria has led to a decrease of Swedish fighters being recruited to militant groups elsewhere, such as al-Shabab in Somalia.